Change in Skyrim
by Grothnack
Summary: I was in a campsite, the next thing I know is that I am freezing, and then executioned. Then, a damn dragon. The only thing I want to go back home, but... why was I transported here? And what should I do now?
1. Chapter 1

I was in a campsite, trying to enjoy being out of my home in my first time camping. It was good enough for me to just disconnect from everything. No messages, no phone ringing… You just could forget about everything outside of the camp and enjoy the calm atmosphere of the forest. The only thing I disliked was the heat, as it was summer. I really hated it, how I felt sticky and sometimes I couldn't even breathe properly because of it.

I sighed, as I started to walk around the campsite, in the direction of the forest. I wanted to explore a little before starting to cook up something to eat. The forest was very calm, with only the leaves making a sound as the wind passed them. It was really soothing. I stretched a bit my legs, trying to make them wake up a little. I considered myself a bit fit, but not by much. My hair was a bit long, of black colour, and normally it would enter in my eyes if I wasn't careful. I was wearing a tracksuit with brown boots, and of course the tracksuit didn't have the sweatshirt, as wearing it now would be suicide.

If I just knew what it would happen, I would have taken the sweatshirt, but alas, I didn't. While walking through the forest, I checked my mobile phone to check on the clock, but it didn't turn on… I cursed the batteries then, as I started to walk back, just in case… and then everything went really wrong.

First, it started to feel the place cold… really cold. Then, it started to snow, but no small amount precisely, it started to make a damn blizzard. I started trying to find my way in that blizzard, while trying to maintain the little warmth I felt. – What's going on!? – I asked to nobody, feeling rather scared and terrified. And I nearly freeze myself; literally and metaphorically, as I saw one of the trees. It wasn't the same type of trees. They were different.

\- "If someone just gave me something to hallucinate… please, get me a medic…" - I shouted, but no one answered again. I continue walking, trying to avoid being stuck in one place, and fighting all the cold inside me, as it was making me feel sleepy. When I was going to fall to the snow from being tired, I started hearing something approaching. It was heavy, and soon enough, I recognized something, like horses.

\- "This is a miracle." – I whispered, as it was the only thing I could do at the moment. I was feeling as my body would become ice in a moment, so I just approached the sound, trying to find some warmth to fight the cold, and maybe some stew or soup to eat, to bring some more warmth to my body.

No such luck.

As soon as I approached them, I found myself being threatened with swords, and some bows pointing at me. – "Please, help me… I don't know where I am, and I just want something to keep me warm…" - I pleaded, as I just put my hands up to signal that I had no weapon. I was so scared, and maybe about to piss myself… even though it would bring momentary warmth I sorely needed right now.

A guard; one of those with a sword, approached me, and grabbed my hands, before putting them together and tied them up. – "You are now a prisoner now, just keep your mouth shut." – The guard said, and I started to stammer, partly because of the cold, and another because I was in shock. Why was I becoming a prisoner now!?

\- "I didn't do anything you might…" - I started to say, but then the pommel of the sword ended up in my face, turning everything black, and before the unconsciousness claimed me, I heard the guard say something that was among the lines of "told you".

I started to stir, with a pounding pain in my head. I felt like I was moving, similar to being in a car or a train, but much slower and in a bumpy trail. At least I had some more warmth in my body, and I could start to see like a less snowy trail… And me with my hands tied. Then, someone called me. – "Finally woke up. Nearly thought you were dead because the cold and that hit in your head." – A man said. It was a man really fit, with strong arms and wearing some type of leather armour. He had long hair, but it was brown going to blonde, and a beard of some days.

\- "What…? Why am I tied?" – I said tiredly, trying to get my mind to work better, as it was fighting the damn pain. The man in front of me looked a bit sad at that.

\- "We are prisoners… going for execution." – The man said, and my mind went into shock.

\- "B-b-but I didn't do anything. I just wanted something warm…" - I started to choke up, feeling terrified. I didn't want to die, I didn't know what the hell was going on. I started to let some tears fall, as I curled. I heard the man who spoke to me speaking to another, but I just didn't pay any more attention.

Before I could even try to find something to use, or to try to plead, I received a hit in my head again, redoubling the pain I was feeling. – "Shut the hell up." – I heard, probably one of the guards. I just tried to stifle my cry of pain and suffering, but it was to no avail… I just sobbed, remembering the faces of my family and friends, and if they just gave me up as a disappearance where they couldn't find my body.

Then, the cart stopped, and the guards made us go down. I saw that we were in some type of medieval village… and some people were looking at us… at our execution. The guards started to just check us on our names, and my hopes rose up a little. Maybe if I wasn't on that list, I would be spared. It was a selfish thought, but I just cared now that I wanted to be alive. That hope took a massive hit when a man tried to run off, and ended up with arrows in his back, dead.

Finally it was my turn, asking for my name. – "Karsein…" - I said, and soon enough, the ward started checking and double checking the list, trying to find my name somewhere.

\- "You are not on the list. What should we do, captain?" – The man said, and my hopes afterwards were definitely crushed by the answer.

\- "Send him to the execution line." – The captain said, and the man just sent me a pitying look. I just walked to my position, and started to hear some woman spout some prayer for our souls. I barely remembered something of the medieval ages, being so religious and so on. I just didn't care anymore, as I was just focusing on my family and friends, and thinking of things I should have done before I died.

I cringed and nearly spewed out vomit out of horror as I saw a man being beheaded with an axe. I was letting my tears flow freely again, and I saw another man going to the execution. It was another one with strong muscle, but with rags instead of a leather armour, and with dark hair like myself. Then, I heard something and looked up… and my jaw dropped.

It was a black dragon… and started to roar before it breathed fire that started burning everything on sight. I felt like I could only see it, my body wasn't answering my mind call of run like hell. I was paralysed because of the amount of fear, shock and everything in between I was feeling. A shout broke through my mind, and I started to run, in the direction of the shout. I entered inside a tower, and the door closed, muffling everything outside.

\- "We should be safe for now. Let's see what we should do about those bonds." – The man who spoke to me in the cart said, and started to loosen up the bind in my hands, and soon it fall, and I started to move them.

\- "Wh… what is happening? Was that a dragon? Wh… what should we do?" – I said, sounding in every word how much I am scared of this situation. I just wanted to be back home, with my friends, playing videogames and laughing, complaining about the exams, bad teachers, how restricting were sometimes our parents…

\- "Breathe. In… and out." – A voice said, and I followed it, feeling better after doing it a couple of times. I felt hands on my shoulders, and I discovered I was looking directly at the man who was going to be beheaded before the dragon. His face looked touch, with a scar across his face, a beard of a couple of days, and brown eyes who spoke of kindness.

\- "Now, we need you to gather all the courage you have, and follow us. We will go upwards, and go to the other side of the village. To the fort. I am Raerek. Tell us your name." – He said, and I gulped, breathing again and tried to feel courageous… the best I could think is that it was a better plan than just trying to wish everything was a dream.

\- "K…Karsein." – I said, and he nodded, sending me a smile before shaking my shoulders in gentle support, and then starting to go up the stairs. I gulped, and followed him, trying to run along him. Soon enough, we reached the middle of the stairs and I was gasping for air… I wasn't as fit as I thought, or I was still not recovered enough. But it was lucky that we stopped, as I saw how the top was destroyed… and the guards there roasted alive by flames. I covered my ears and shut my eyes close, trying to keep at bay my feelings of just running everywhere else but this place.

\- "No other way. We are going to jump." – Raerek said, and I looked at him like he was crazy.

\- "What!? But it will kill us!" – I said, looking down and feeling like the ground was so far from where we were.

\- "Look, if we jump in that direction, we can get inside that house. Now let's do this." – Ralof said, and soon enough, I saw Raerek jump toward that house. I screamed in horror, but I saw him landing safely there, and made motions for me to follow.

\- "I… I can't." – I said, but then I heard a roar… the dragon was approaching, giving no time to react to what Ralof would do.

\- "JUMP!" – Ralof said, and I felt how he pushed me… into the air. I didn't know how I did it, but now I was falling toward that house… and losing height at the same time. I admit that my scream while falling wasn't exactly like a man should be screaming, but I didn't care. I just landed roughly on the house, and a crack was heard, before falling again. I felt more pain in my body.

\- "Can you move?" – I heard Raerek say, but I could only make a groan of pain. Then, I felt like something was soothing the pain. I saw a golden light surrounding me, before fading, and a smiling Raerek with his hands extended on me. Did he just used magic? If so, I wanted to learn it… when I remembered where we were by more screams and fire being produced.

\- "Let's go." – Raerek said, and I nodded, getting up. I was feeling better than before, my mind cleared of that leftover pain of being hit with something hard. But as a matter of fact, it also leaved me with clear understanding of what was happening… a damn slaughter made by a dragon.

We started running, being close to the walls to avoid being seen, and soon enough, it paid off as the dragon landed just on top of us without seeing us, landing on the wall, and sending more fire toward the guards, which were trying to kill it with arrows and some type of spells. The problem was that it wasn't doing a thing to the dragon.

Soon enough, we started running again, toward the fort. I heard someone shouting at us, but we ignored him and entered. The sounds of the battle outside were muffled again and I breathed, feeling better now that we were inside sturdy walls of stone.

\- "Now, let's grab some weapons." – Ralof said, and soon enough, I just puked everything I had as I saw a man dead, killed by something.

\- "First time seeing corpses? Better get used to it, we are going to see much more until we can flee this place. At least take this." – Ralof said, and gave to me a dagger… an iron dagger. I felt the weight of the dagger in my hand, and I gulped. I couldn't even think of using it to kill another person. Maybe a monster or an animal, but never a person.

\- "We are going to take the brunt of the battle, so don't worry. It's just in case." – Raerek said, while stripping down the corpse as it was nothing, and putting himself the armour. It was something I never expected him doing it… Well, I remembered doing it in some games, but it was different seeing it on a videogame, and the gravity of seeing it in person. When he finally put the armour, I heard some steps

\- "Someone is coming." – I said, and soon enough, we hided… A door opened and two guards appeared, heavily armoured and with swords sheathed. Then, Raerek and Ralof attacked, Ralof chopping the head of one of the guards with his axe and Raerek puncturing the heart of the other guard with a sword. I just put my hand in my mouth to stifle a scream, and resisted the feeling of wanting to puke again.

\- "Just take some of the armour. Forget the breastplate, just take the boots and the bracers." – Ralof said, removing those parts of the armour and giving them to me. I just nodded, possibly looking rather green, as I put them on, strapping them on my arms and removing my shoes, to put the boots instead. I felt rather heavy, and wished for some kind of light armour instead. I followed them, reaching a room that looked like a store room.

\- "We can take what we need from here before going. Let's rest a little." – Ralof said, and I sighed in relief as I sat on the ground, breathing hard. I felt exhausted, wishing for everything just to end, instead of just a respite of what it was a hell on earth… or whatever I was now. Because one thing was clear. I wasn't in my own world anymore.

\- "From where do you come, Karsein?" – Raerek asked, while sorting through some type of bottles, and picking some to keep. Now I was in danger, because I couldn't spout the truth. I doubted they would believe me if I said that I came from another world.

\- "I can't remember. The only things I remember are that I was in that blizzard, trying to find something to keep me warm, and my own name. And then… all of this." – I said with a defeated voice, feeling bad for lying to the people who were saving my life. But I couldn't risk it, not yet at least. I needed at least some type of control to keep me grounded. Raerek nodded at that, and he went toward me, sitting beside me before giving me a bottle of something green, and some bread.

\- "It will keep you until we reach to safety." – Raerek said, and I dived toward the bread, eating it quickly. It was delicious, but in a different way. It was made without all the things people put on the ingredients, like preservatives and additives. After I ate it, I drank the bottle. It tasted like mint, and I felt energised, much better than Red Bull or another mark of energy drinks.

\- "This really wakes you up." – I comment, and a chuckle from Raerek was heard.

\- "I know. Now, just keep going, and try to help us when you can. We aren't going to force you to enter the battle, but be careful." – Raerek repeated to me, and I nodded, feeling selfishly better knowing that I didn't have to fight. I didn't even want to think about trying to kill someone, even if it was for my own life.

\- "We better start moving again." – Ralof said, and we got up, following him. Then, something made all of the fort rumble, and a distant roar was heard… It seemed like the fort wasn't going to hold much longer. I gulped, and continued with them, trying to avoid thinking of ways of ending up dead.

Then, we reached another part of the fort… that directly wanted to make me puke. It was a torture chamber, with even skeleton inside the jails… But there was fighting, between two men who were wearing the same armour as Ralof and Raerek, and by the way they looked, were the torturers. I just kept me hidden, avoiding to see the slaughter of those torturers, but I thought that those deaths didn't make me wanting to puke…

\- "Let's check the area a moment." – Ralof said, and I nodded, making a salute with my hand toward the new members of our group, but they seemed more concentrated in looking around. But then, I looked at Raerek, who was doing something toward one of the cages. Then, a click was made and a grunt.

\- "I never got the hang of this." – Raerek grumbled, having a lock pick in his hand, and guessing what he meant with that, it was to open the door.

\- "Er… I can try." – I said, and he nodded, giving me one of those lock picks, and I just kneel toward the lock, starting to move the lock pick with care. I was always with a steady hand, so when I felt pressure toward the lock pick, I stopped, and tried the other way. Then, a click was heard, and the door opened.

\- "Good job." – Raerek said, and I smiled, feeling better with myself of being able to help, but then I saw him grabbing all the clothes of the poor dead man inside, and giving me those clothes and a book. It wasn't something I read everywhere.

\- Try these clothes, and read that book. Should give you a spell to defend yourself. – Raerek said, and I looked like he was out of his mind, but I nodded, grabbing the clothes and the spell book, and hide myself to change. I put on top of my clothes the robe and then, I put the hood. Afterwards, I put the dagger in my belt, falling nicely sheathed on my left leg. Then, I opened the book, starting to read it.

It was an interesting book, and I thanked to God that I was a quick reader, so I just picked the most meaningful things of the book to try the spell. I tried to concentrate like it told me, putting my hand outwards and trying to feel like the magicka gather around my hand, just so I could send them out like lightning. No such luck, and soon enough it was time to move again.

When we reached the next place; it was starting to look more and more like a cave instead of a fort, we saw three guards… with bows and swords. It was clear that they were prepared, so they started sending out arrows toward us. Raerek went with a shield he picked up somewhere, covering himself with it, as he hit on the neck of the guard with his sword, making him fall. Then, it was a matter of time before the others guards fell too.

I picked the bow with all the arrows I could find, and put them in a quiver of those dead soldiers. I sighed, trying to avoid looking at those dead eyes as I finished putting these on. At least, now I could help from the back line… even though I doubted I could make a killing shot. It's not like I was an expert archer or something, only things I picked up when I was little and let me try using a bow. Most of the arrows didn't hit the target back then.

When we crossed the bridge, another roar was made present, and then, to my horror, the two people who were helping us back then, became trapped on the other side. I tried to remove the rocks, but they were impossible to move.

\- "We have to move… Sovngarde may claim them." – Ralof said, and I nodded… and prayed that they would reach paradise for them, with a tear falling off my face. It was time I tried to start sobbing less… Our life still were at risk, and I doubted it would be well for them to have me sobbing all the time.

Then, we reached like a place where Aragog from Harry Potter would be at ease… and damn man eater spiders. – "What the hell!?" – I screamed in horror, before trying to put distance between us, and had an arrow in my bow. I started tensing it, as Ralof and Raerek started to kill the spiders with their weapons, but a spider was starting to move toward me. I just breathed, and let the arrow fly toward the spider, hitting it in the mouth, killing it.

\- "Nice shot!" – Raerek said, with a smile on his face. I breathed, trying to keep myself from going to the ground in relief that I made a good thing in the battle. Then, I saw Raerek gathering something from some type of big open clamps, and had some type of eggs, and then started to milk the spiders from their fangs, possibly because of their venom… I tried all the way to focus on other things, but the place wasn't helping exactly.

When Raerek finished, we started to move again, through an underground river it seemed, toward another cave, where a bear was sleeping or so. We crouched immediately and started to make signs of silence. – "If we go around it without making a sound we could bypass it. But if you hit it well with your bow, we could kill it and have the meat and skin for later. But… is your decision if you are able to make the shots." – Ralof said, looking at me and I gulped. This wasn't like trying to kill a human being, so it was only trying to make a good shot. I nodded, and they positioned themselves to ambush the bear so I could make the shot.

I put two of my arrows on the ground, and one of my bow, starting to tense the bow and pointing toward the bear. I breathed, trying to steady my hands because they were trembling of nervousness. Then, I let the arrow fly, and hit the bear in his head, on one of his eyes. The bear roared, and started to go toward me, but I already had another arrow on my bow, but it fell because my hands failed me. I tried to scramble to gather the other arrow, but Ralof and Raerek went and hit the bear with their weapons, finishing it.

\- "You did well." – Raerek said, giving me back the arrow that hit the bear. I nodded, grabbing the rest of the arrows and returning them to the quiver. Meanwhile, Ralof and Raerek were skinning the bear, having the pelt ready and soon enough, and the meat in their backpacks. I sighed, and started to follow them again, finally reaching the end of the cave where the light was entering the cave, which leaded to our freedom.

\- "Finally outside!" – Raerek said, and we ran outside, feeling the cold breeze again in our faces. I smiled, thinking that we were finally safe, when another roar sounded, making us hide. The dragon appeared briefly on the sky, before flying away.

Finally we were safe from the horror of Helgen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone, happy new year. As always, enjoy the chapter and I am looking for a Beta Reader to check on my stories.**

* * *

The nightmare was over, and the rays of sun were touching my skin… it was a very good feeling, and I could have fainted from relief that I was safe from everything again if it weren't because Raerek and Ralof were moving again. I wished to know where they had all that energy to spare, because I was wishing for a shower, and a soft bed to rest. But again, I could guess that the showers weren't invented, so… the river.

It seems that my wish to wash my worries would have to wait a bit longer.

But I digress, as I started listening their conversation. It was Ralof trying to make sure that Raerek had to go to join the Stormcloacks or something like that. For the little I gathered, it was like fighting for the independence of where I was now… Skyrim. That only cemented the thing that I was from another dimension, so far from my home. I would have to stick to Raerek and Ralof for the moment, until I just accustomed to everything here… Because if I remembered correctly, the law was just horrid… or effective, or both.

\- "And what do you plan to do, Karsein?" – Raerek asked me, and I just looked downcast. I didn't have an idea to follow right now. I doubted I could even be hired as a miner, as my strength was… well, the less I speak about it, the better.

\- I really don't know. I just can't remember anything apart from my own name, and being left in that blizzard. – I said downcast, and well, Ralof looked a bit taken aback, but Raerek nodded, as he already knew this piece of information.

\- I am sure that my sister, Gerdur, can help you in that matter. And you could always go to Whiterun to try to find something there. – Ralof said, and we started again walking, but at least at a slower pace. We didn't need to run after all, and we were all tired… me more than Ralof and Raerek, but still tired.

Then, a growl sounded, and I found myself being pushed to the ground by something. To my horror, that something was a wolf snapping his jaws at my face. I screamed in horror, and tried to push it away, but to no avail. It was all I could do to avoid the jaws going to my throat. My right hand was pushed away and when I tried to put it back to try to push the wolf, it found the dagger…

Without thinking, I unsheathed the dagger and pushed it home at the neck of the wolf, making it howl a bit before I just did it again… and again… I just continued doing the same movement, until a rough hand stopped me. – It's over. – He said, and pushed me off the wolf, which laid dead on the ground. I was feeling again rather sick, with gratefulness that my stomach was empty at the moment so there was nothing to vomit.

\- Well, at least we can have their pelts. It will sell well. – Ralof said, and started to remove the pelt from the wolves. At that moment, I had to look away, looking surely rather sick. I breathed in and out, trying to relax on my own, but I was just wishing for a single moment of not being constantly on guard to avoid being killed by an animal, or another person, or a dragon, or something.

\- Just a little longer, and we reach Riverwood. – Ralof continued, when he finished skinning the wolves, and resumed our walking. I just nodded, because I couldn't trust me in not starting to sob if I opened my mouth. This was just so… chaotic and different. Back home, I could be in natural space without worrying about wild animals trying to kill me. In here, if I just want to enjoy the scenery, I could be killed by wolves, or more dangerous animals. And that not taking into account possible bandits and so on.

\- Look, standing stones. – Raerek said, and he approached them. I just followed him, trying to guess what they were. It was strange, as they had markings resembling like a warrior, a mage and a thief. It was fascinating in its own way, but I wasn't in the mood of contemplating it. Then, the mage one started to shine a bit.

\- So a mage… maybe it works for you. – Raerek said, as another stone shined, the warrior one behind him. It was so strange that, but I decided to not pay attention to it. It was not important right now for me anyway. After that, we continued walking, and finally we reached the entrance of a village. It was… a small village to say the least, could count like ten houses in total. Never thought it would be like this a village in this time.

I could hear a woman start to argue with a man, about the dragon… That made me pale a bit, and swallow, but it was mostly because I remembered again the screams and the dragon burning people in front of me. It was a memory I wish I could forget anytime soon. But I knew I would not forget it.

We reached what would be the mill, and I could appreciate that it was similar to what would be in the actuality, but less refined and automatized. I sighed, as I tried to think in more similarities, and saw how Ralof smiled at seeing a woman near the river. Maybe she was her sister.

\- Gerdur! – Ralof shouted, and opened his arms in greetings, and that woman looked at us, before hugging Ralof. If she had a problem with the smell and blood in Ralof's clothes, she didn't say it, as relief was evident in her face. And how Ralof stop her from worrying more, it was something I could see didn't change in all time. All the families look for each other, after all.

Then, Gerdur called someone name Hod, and appeared a kid. It was a good scene of a family, but it didn't set well with me that Ralof told the kid that he would be killing imperials soon. It wasn't a good feeling, but it was clear that this was another culture… I would have to try to fake my impressions of this the best I could. Afterwards, Hod reached us, and a more serious conversation was going to take place now.

\- Now, Ralof, what's going on? You three look pretty well done in. – Hod said, and I saw Ralof taking a seat in a cut down tree trunk, and with a look that was worrying.

\- "I can't remember the last time I slept. Where to start? Well, the news you heard about Ulfric was true. The Imperials ambushed us outside Darkwater Crossing. Like they knew exactly where we'd be. That was...two days ago, now. We stopped at Helgen this morning, and I thought it was all over. Had us lined up for the headsman's block and ready to start chopping!" – Ralof said, and I closed my eyes, and starting to tremble as I remembered everything. How all started, how I was wishing for something to spare me, and then, the dragon and… the killing. I could hear Ralof following the tale, but I just tuned out of that, trying to control my emotions again. I just caught the end of the tale.

\- "Good. Maybe we can lay up for a while. I'd hate to put your family in danger, Gerdur, but..." – Ralof continued, and by the face of Gerdur, I could guess her answer, making me smile of gratitude.

\- "Nonsense. You and your friend are welcome to stay as long as you need. Let me worry about the Imperials. Any friend of Ralof's is a friend of mine." – Gerdur said, and smiled to us, reaching through and giving us a key. – "Here's the key to the house. Stay as long as you like. There's something you can do for me. For all of us." – She said, and I gulped at that. I didn't want to move more than I already did today… But if it was important, maybe I could do it.

\- "We need to send word to Jarl Balgruuf to send whatever troops he can. Riverwood is defenseless. If you do that for me, I'll be in your debt." – She said, and my mind went blank with only an answer admissible, that was by the lines of "Hell no"; but I couldn't say it, because I would have to explain what hell was, and it would be rather bad to say it, as it was important for the reasons she said.

\- "I will do it. You stay here, Karsein." – Raerek said, and I just wanted to agree with it, to just go along it and accept the hospitality of Gerdur. But if I wanted to find why I was being here, and try to go home, I couldn't stay here… even if it was the most comfy election I could make, as it promised food and a bed to rest.

\- "I will go with you. If you go alone, maybe they will overlook you, but two people they will have more problems to dismiss." – I said, before he could say anything to make me change my decision. I didn't want to stay rooted to one place, forever lost in this world. I wanted to find a way to go home, and being in this forsaken village wouldn't help in that matter.

\- "I'll let them into the house and, you know, show them where everything is." – Hod said, and seeing Raerek nod at that, made me relax as he wasn't going to go to where that Jarl Balgruuf is today. The night was setting after all, and probably was better to stay here the night and go out in the morning. Then, after Ralof said his goodbyes to his sister, we followed Hod, all the while listening to him about the mead and everything else.

I wasn't keen on drinking any kind of mead or beer, but I couldn't just say if he had pineapple juice instead. I would need to just drink the mead, and with moderation if I could. When we reached the house, we entered and it was homely, but very different to what I was accustomed in my time. Instead of sofas and so on, it was quite quaint, with a chimney, some furnishing made of wood, and not much more…

It was quite a culture shock for me. Ralof and Raerek sat at the table; which was near the ground so it was sitting on the floor or in chairs that were minimal. I sat too, and let Hod grab some food… quite literally, and started cooking it. I would have to forget about fried food and quick food, as it weren't invented yet. What Hod made, was some meat with some salt and some vegetables on the side. The most glaring fault was the missing fork.

It wasn't a problem, as everyone started eating with their hands instead. I just followed them in that, but it was uncomfortable for me doing it, as I always ate most things using a fork and a knife. Here, it was only a knife to eat most of it, or your hands. At least, it was very good, different, but good. I never knew that meat could be that good on its own, without all those preservatives and chemical things they put on the food.

Then, it was taking turns to wash all the grime and so on, in pre-heated water. To say it was different was repeating myself, but the glaring difference in strength between me and Raerek or Ralof was devastating. I just say I am lithe, but… holly sh*t the muscles they have! It was sure to give me a complex or something, because if everybody had muscles like that… well, it didn't paint a good life for me at the moment. And then, the clothes that were laid to me, were just medieval… some pants and a shirt, with some leather boots. Not much more.

I could see how my own clothes from my time would be burned as they were probably in so poor state that they couldn't recover; or so strange that it was better to be destroyed just in case, and the less said about how I did go to the toilet in this time, the better for all of us. Never thought I would miss the plumbing or the toilet paper.

Then, it was time to try to sleep. But it was a goner that thought, I couldn't sleep at all, since I could see the images of people burning or being killed. I ended up going outside, feeling the cold of the night in my skin, as a way to try to clear my head a bit. It was my first night in this world, and well, things came crashing down to me, as it was clear that I wouldn't come back to my world in just one day.

The things I would miss… my family and friends were on the top, but then, it came down all the advantages of the technology of my world. The plumbing, the electricity… The list could go on and on, and that was making me miserable in seconds, making me start crying again. The worst part is that I was alone, with nobody to tell this as I would be considered crazy. I let myself put my back on the wall, and then slide silently until I was seated on the wooden floor, and put my legs together to hug them, burying my head in my arms, crying silently.

I didn't know how much time had passed, until a hand touched my shoulder, before someone sat beside me. I looked for a moment, and saw Raerek looking at the sky. He stayed silent, and I let my head rest on the wall, letting my eyes go to the night sky for the first time. It was beautiful. The stars were shining brightly, and I could even see forms, like a horse in the sky, or a mage like the stone that shone before we came here.

\- "Everything is going to be fine." – Raerek said, and I just felt like I could trust Raerek on that… It was what I could to avoid ending up in despair, as I was left with nothing. As the saying tells, the hope is the last thing one man can lose, and I still had some left. Then, after a while just looking at the stars, I got up and entered the house again, and this time when I went to my slotted space of sleeping; as the space for the bed wasn't exactly enough for three people, I just slept through the night without a nightmare.

The morning though, came too early, but again, Raerek was waking me up at dawn. I just couldn't even get angry at this, as I was the one who insisted on going with him to Whiterun. The breakfast was another thing to get used to, as it was only bread with cheese, and more mead or water. I would learn to hold my own with all the alcohol I would end up drinking, but a funny thought was the faces of Raerek and Ralof if they were to try the beer of my world. Probably they would say it tasted like piss.

\- "Let's buy some things, and sell others before going. Even if it's only a two hour distance from here, it wouldn't do going unprepared, and you would need better equipment than what you are wearing." – Raerek said, and I nodded. I knew that my equipment was… certainly lacking. I only had the bracers and the boots for protection, and a dagger with a bow and some arrows.

We went to the smith, who purchased some things from us, having enough money to change my dagger to a sword, and add instead of my tunic, a leather armour. The boots and bracers were changed to leather too, but it were for me more comfortable. We added some arrows to my bow, and Raerek purchased the metal amour for himself, and a two handed sword. He surely could destroy most people with that sword.

Then, we separated, as Raerek wanted to buy some provisions for the travel, and I found myself going toward the mill, where I could see someone who was already working, but was different from the people I saw. And after closer inspection, I nearly go on a fan streak. An elf! A fucking real elf! But… well, seeing as he was cutting down more wood, it was clear that he wasn't like the Lord of the Rings movies, and he wasn't exactly good looking as in the movies. Then, he came toward me, and I nearly panicked.

\- "Can I help you?" – He said, and I relax, seeing that he wasn't angry at me for looking to his ears and so on. It wasn't good to be staring at that, because I was supposed to be from this world, and I doubted that people just kept staring at the ears.

\- "No, sorry. I was just taking a walk while waiting for my companion to buy supplies." – I answered, trying to remember old medieval words, but sure it was hard to avoid making funny comments on this.

\- "If you are free, would you mind helping me with Sven?" – He said, and I arched an eyebrow at that, not knowing what he was referring to.

\- "What do you mean?" – I asked, a bit interested if I could help, and another part because I was bored waiting and wanted something to do in the meantime.

\- "He's a bard, so he says. Occasionally he finds time to do his job here at the mill. Thinks his ballads and sonnets are going to convince Camilla Valerius to marry him. As if she would say 'yes.' An intelligent, beautiful woman like her wouldn't fall for that nonsense... I hope." – He said, and that was clear enough that he had feelings for that Camilla, but Sven was trying to go for the same girl… It seemed that love triangles still happened, even through the years.

\- "Well… maybe you could try to tell her your own words." – I say, trying to see if he would be courageous enough to court her, but it seemed that it went to another idea, that I liked less, and it went quickly enough that I ended up with a letter of Faendal to give it to Camilla, saying it was from Sven. I sighed, and at least went to see that Sven, trying to check if I would be doing it.

The problem was that, entering the tavern to check if he was there, I could say that the music changed a lot through the times. It was that, or the ballads needed a reworking. And speaking actually to Sven; he was just arrogant. He reminded me of the people from my world who tried to get all the girls to just use them, and well… A bit white lie to help Camilla avoid that man was good enough.

The reaction from Camilla was sure enough proof that it worked, and I went to see Faendal. The result in that was getting a bit of money, and a lesson in archery I sorely needed. At least, I was a bit better and could hit targets a bit farther. Then, it was time to go to Whiterun.


End file.
